Casting Process

Consider the casting process at 645 B.C, the first traces of the Sand Molding was found. Now consider the stateof-the-art Electromagnetic casting process. Truly, the Casting process has traversed a long path and impacted human civilization for nearly five millennia. With technological advances, metal casting is playing a greater role in our everyday lives and is more essential than it has ever been.

Selecting the Right Metal Casting Process

For any Metal Casting Process, selection shape, of right alloy, size, thickness, tolerance,

texture, and weight, is very vital.

Special requirements such as, magnetism, distribution choice Process. of corrosion, also the Metal stress the Casting influence

Views of the Tooling Designer; Foundry / Machine House needs, customer's exact product requirements, and secondary operations like painting, must be taken care of before selecting the appropriate Metal Casting Process.

Tool cost. Economics of machining versus process costs. Adequate protection / packaging, shipping constraints, regulations of the final components, weights and shelf life of protective coatings also play their part in the Metal Casting process.

The
Hot

Metal

Casting

or

just

Casting

process

may

be

divided

into

two

groups:
Process

Forming

Examples are Centrifugal casting, Extrusion, Forging, Full mold casting, Investment casting, Permanent or Gravity Die casting, Plaster mold casting, Sand Casting, Shell Mold casting. The method to be used depends upon Cold the nature of the Forming products to be cast. Process

Examples are Squeeze casting, Pressure die casting, Gravity die casting, Burnishing, Coining, Cold forging, Hubbing, Impact Extrusion, Peening, Sizing, Thread rolling.

Comparative Advantages, Disadvantages and Applications for Various Casting Methods :

Sand Casting Advantages Disadvantages Recommended Application

Least

Expensive (less

in than

small Dimensional accuracy inferior to Use when strength/weight ratio 100) other processes, requires larger permits tolerances Tolerances, surface finish and low usually exceed machining cost does not warrant a weight more expensive process calculated

quantities

Ferrous and non - ferrous metals may be cast Castings

Possible to cast very large parts. Surface finish of ferrous castings • Least expensive tooling usually exceeds 125 RMS

Permanent and Semi-permanent Mold Casting Less expensive than Investment or Only non-ferrous metals may be Use when process recommended Die Dimensional than Castings cast Tolerances Sand by this process for parts subjected to hydrostatic pressure closer Less competitive with Sand Cast cores Castings are dense and pressure tight Higher tooling cost than Sand Cast Plaster Cast Smooth "As Cast" finish (25 RMS) More Closer dimensional tolerance than Sand Cast Limited number of costly than Sand or Use when parts require smooth tolerances than possible with Sand sources or Permanent Mold Processes are required no cores and quantities in excess of 300 Castings process when three or more sand Ideal for parts having low profile,

Permanent

Mold-Casting "As Cast" surface finish and closer

• Intricate shapes and fine Requires minimum of 1 deg. draft details including thinner "As Cast" walls are possible

• Large parts cost less to cast than by Investment process Investment Cast

Close Complex walls

dimensional shape, are

tolerance Costs fine

are

higher Mold

than or

Sand, Use when Complexity precludes Plaster use of Sand or Permanent Mold Castings The process cost is justified

Permanent intricate core sections and thin possible

detail, process Castings

through savings in machining or Ferrous and non-ferrous metals may be cast Weight savings justifies increased As-Cast" finish (64 - 125 RMS) Die Casting Good dimensional tolerances are Economical only in very large Use when quantity of parts justifies possible Excellent part-part quantities due to high tool cost the high tooling cost cost brazing

dimensional Not recommended for hydrostatic Parts are not structural and are pressure applications subjected to hydrostatic pressure

consistency Parts require a minimal

post For Castings where penetrant (die) or radiographic inspection are not required. Difficult to guarantee minimum mechanical properties

machining